Improvement in reversible latches



JOHN HAMILL.

vImprovement in Reversihrl'e--Latc'hes-I JOHN IIAMILL, 0F ALLEGHENY,PENNSYLVANIA.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,870, dated June 11,1872.

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, JOHN HAMILL, of Allegheny City, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Reversible Locks 5 and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description thereof reference beinghad tothe accompanying drawing forming part of this specilication, in which-Figure l is a perspective view of a door-lock embodying my improvement.Fig. 2 is a like view of the same, and illustrates the manner in whichthe latch is reversed; and Fig. 3 is a detached view of a portionthereof.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each. y

My invention consists in the combination of a removable block with thehub-arm of a lock and a lug on the end of the yoke-arm, whereby thelatch may be reversed without removing the cover-plate of the lock.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its con-' struction and mode of operation.

The lock A with its latch a, yoke b, hub c, and spring d are of anordinary construction, except that the lower arm b1 of the yoke b islonger than the upper one, b2. The space between the lower arm o of thehub c and the lug e on the end of the long arm b1 of the yoke is filledby a block, t', which is carried on the end of the angle-shaped piece f.The latch a is secured in the journal a2, in which it may be turned withease when the square head is drawn forward of the square opening al. Thepiece f is sustained by the spring g, which, when the piece is inposition, holds the square edge g2 against the top side A1 of the look.The upper end j of the piecef projects upward through the slot h. Thefunction of the piece fis to afford a means of operating the blockz' soas to throw it in and out of position without removing the cover of thelock. Just below the block t' is an Lshaped catch or stop,

k, which is intended to receive and hold the block t' when thrown downout oi' position. If the projection f is pressed down it forces theblock z' down past the lug e onto the stop la.

'Then the yoke b may be drawn forward, by

means of the square head of the latch a, until the lug e on the end ofthe arm b1 encounters the hubvarm c', which distance is sufcient toallow the latch-head to be drawn through the square opening al in thefront side A2, as shown in Fig. 2, and be reversed in the usual manner.

If it is desired to restore the parts to their operative position, asshown in Fig. 1, the latch a is pressed back until the lug e on the armb1 is pushed past the block t', which is now resting on the stop k, asshown in Fig. 2. As soon as the lug e slips past the block t' the springg, pressing against the piece f, forces the block i up into positionbetween the lug e and arm c of the hub. The parts are then in positionand may be operated.

Instead of the angle-shaped piece f, alu g projecting from the block ithrough a slot in the face of the lock may be used for throwing theblock t' in and out of position. In such case the spring g and slot hwould be dispensed with. Thus it willbe seen that the block ,when inposition, affords a bearing for the arm b1, but may be thrown out ofposition with ease and quickness, and thereby permit the latch to bedrawn forward and reversed without removing the cover of the lock.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The block i, interposed between and in combination with the arm c andthe lug e, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN HAM- ILL, have hereunto set myhand.

JOHN HAMILL.

Witnesses:

A. S. NICHOLSON, THOS. B. KEER.

ATEN'I OFFICE.

